Registration & Renewals

Thank you for your interest in becoming a BCRPA-registered fitness professional. The BCRPA is the exclusive provider in BC of the National Fitness Leadership Alliance (NFLA) Performance Standards, which are among the highest in Canada for the credentialing of fitness professionals. Meeting these national standards through the BCRPA means that your BCRPA registration is recognized across Canada.

Your registration as a fitness leader with the BCRPA will provide you with a number of benefits. For a list of those benefits, please go here.

Getting Registered with BCRPA

Currently, you can register with the BCRPA as a Fitness Leader in the following specialities:

Registration requirements differ for each specialty and level of registration. For a simplified visual presentation of the registration process, click here. Detailed registration steps and criteria are below. For inquiries, please contact registration@bcrpa.bc.ca or 604.629.0965 ext. 221.

Select the Take Fitness Theory Exam link, then follow the instructions to pay for the exam online, either by Visa or Mastercard, or by bank-issued money order*.

If you choose to pay by Visa or Mastercard, you will receive exam information and further instructions as soon as you complete the purchase transaction.

*If you choose the bank-issued money order as your payment method, you will be asked to mail your payment to the BCRPA office. Once payment has cleared, exam information and further instructions will be emailed to you. No Debit Cards or Personal Cheques are accepted!

For more information about the exam, please scroll down to the Exams tab.

After you pass your Fitness Theory Examination you will have one year to complete First Aid/CPR and register with us in Fitness Theory (steps 4 and 5).

BCRPA Registered Fitness Leaders and registration candidates are required to have current CPR and First Aid certifications at all times. These certifications must come from the following organizations or from companies that are authorized by them to provide these certifications:

Red Cross

St. John’s Ambulance

Canadian Ski Patrol

Lifesaving Society or

Heart and Stroke Foundation

Note: The BCRPA does NOT accept online CPR or First Aid certifications

Fitness Leaders are required to have a minimum of CPR-A certification and either Emergency First Aid or Standard First Aid certification. Higher level certifications are accepted.

Once you have received your First Aid and/or CPR certifications, login to The Registry® and update this information into your account.

If you receive an audit message when updating your CPR and/or First Aid certifications, please follow the instructions as quickly as you can so that the audit can be completed, and your update accepted, as soon as possible.

Your registration with BCRPA provides you with a number of benefits. For a list of benefits, please go here.

We encourage all Registered Fitness Leaders to turn their public profiles on, or to "Listed". This will enable instructors of your specialty module to confirm your registration status - a requirement for enrolment in their courses - and allow the general public and potential employers to review your qualifications. Instructions on publicly listing your profile can be found here.

Be prepared when you contact the course provider. Have the following information ready when you contact the course provider:

Your Fitness Theory registration expiry date - to ensure that you are choosing a course that allows you sufficient time to complete all requirements, as well as time for the BCRPA office to process your ICE package (4 to 6 weeks), prior to your BCRPA registration expiry date.

Your Fitness Leader ID - found on your Main Page on your account on The Registry®

BCRPA approved courses have both classroom theory components, and practical, hands on components. Depending on the course and/or the instructor, there are quizzes, exams, and projects that must be completed as well. Check with your course provider regarding the requirements for your chosen course.

Note: Some course providers may include the Practicum and ICE portion as a component of the course.

Completing the Practicum:

Candidates are required to complete 8 hours of practicum, in which they participate with a current Fitness Instructor.

In this practicum component, the Candidate will act as the instructor of a fitness class (in the module that they are learning), with the current Fitness Instructor as the student.

This practicum may be completed with any Fitness Instructor teaching in a fitness facility. Please ensure you also have permission of the facility, and the instructor's class participants that you will be teaching, before you begin your class.

When you are ready to submit your completed ICE package to the BCRPA, please submit legible copies of your evaluator-marked ICE package to the BCRPA, and keep the original package for your own records.

Note: ICE package processing may take between 4 to 6 weeks.

Insurance coverage:

Your BCRPA Fitness Theory registration provides you with a temporary insurance policy valid for the duration of your one-year registration. This temporary policy covers you to work with classmates and members of the public while completing all required practical components, including your ICE evaluation.

For this insurance to be valid:

you must have valid CPR and First Aid coverage at all times; and

all practicum and ICE requirements, and

full registration in the specialty module must be completed before the expiry of your Fitness Theory registration.

Once you have completed the specialty module, practicum requirements and ICE evaluation and have submitted your completed ICE Package to the BCRPA, your specialty module registration will be added to your account on The Registry® of Fitness Professionals by the BCRPA.

As long as all other credentials are current (BCRPA Fitness registration, CPR and First Aid) you will be able to publish your profile so that it is visible to your employer as well as to anyone searching The Registry® for Fitness Professionals.

Upon completion of the processing of your ICE package, BCRPA staff will update your profile on The Registry®.

At that point: Congratulations! You have now completed a specialty module as a BCRPA Registered Fitness Leader!

Once you have completed the 20 programs, please present a copy of the completed tracking sheet AND copies of all 20 programs to your chosen Personal Training course provider for review before then registering in the Personal Training course.

Please note: Some course providers allow all members of the general public to enroll in their courses without checking for prerequisite training. If you are seeking BCRPA registration, you must ensure that you have met all BCRPA prerequisite requirements as described here – if you have not met the criteria outlined in this document, you will not be permitted to register as a Personal Trainer with the BCRPA.

It is your responsibility to complete the 20 programs, as well as all other previous registration steps, and to provide documentation to the Personal Training course provider, whether or not the course provider requests it. During a random audit, the course provider may be asked to provide BCRPA staff with a copy of your 20 program tracking sheet, signed off by the course provider.

After you have completed your BCRPA Fitness Theory registration you can then take the Weight Training course. A valid registration in Weight Training is one of the pre-requisites for registration in the Personal Training course.

For information on the Scope of Practice for Weight Training click here.

Register for a Personal Training course:

For your convenience, the BCRPA maintains an ongoing list of approved courses across all specialty modules. You must take a BCRPA approved course in order to qualify for registration with the BCRPA.

Choose a course provider (or more than one) from that list and contact them for more information about course length, dates, times, pre-requisites and fees. Then select the course, and course provider, that suit your situation best.

Let them know what your Fitness Theory registration expiry date is and make sure that you are choosing a course that allows you sufficient time to complete all requirements, including completion of your ICE package processing at the BCRPA office, before your BCRPA registration expiry date.

**The course provider will need your Fitness Leader ID, found on your MAIN PAGE when logged into your account on The Registry®, in order to register you for the course.

Complete the Personal Training course and all requirements:

BCRPA-approved courses have both classroom theory components and practical, hands-on components. Depending on the course and/or the instructor, there are quizzes, exams and projects that must be completed as well. Check with your course provider regarding the requirements for your chosen course.

A passing mark on the BCRPA Personal Training Exam is 70%. Your Personal Training course provider will be able to assist you in making arrangements to write this exam. Exams can be arranged through certain course providers offering BCRPA approved courses, through the BCRPA office, or through special arrangements with an external exam proctor. For more information about the personal training exam and exam proctoring follow this link.

After you pass the BCRPA Personal Training Exam you will have one year from your exam date to get registered in Personal Training (step 12 below). Please ensure that you also keep your Weight Training registration current, and that you maintain current CPR and current first aid as well, during the time it takes to do so.

The Personal Training ICE involves both a written and an in-person component. For the in-person evaluation, you will need to ask friends/family members to act as "clients". You will also need to obtain permission from a local fitness facility to use it for your evaluation.

Completing the ICE component:

The ICE component is completed with a qualified ICE Evaluator. Each fitness specialty will have different requirements.

When you are ready to submit your completed ICE package to the BCRPA, please submit legible copies of your evaluator-marked ICE package to the BCRPA, and keep the original package for your own records.

Note: ICE package processing may take between 4 to 6 weeks.

Insurance coverage:

Your BCRPA Fitness registration provides you with an insurance policy that covers you to work with classmates and members of the public while completing all required practical components, including your ICE evaluation.

For this insurance to be valid:

you must have valid CPR and First Aid coverage at all times; and

all practicum and ICE requirements, and

full registration in the specialty module must be completed before the expiry of your Fitness Theory registration.

Once you have completed the specialty module, practicum requirements and ICE evaluation and have submitted your completed ICE Package to the BCRPA, your specialty module registration will be added to your account on The Registry® of Fitness Professionals by the BCRPA.

As long as all other credentials are current (BCRPA Fitness registration, CPR and First Aid) you will be able to publish your profile so that it is visible to your employer as well as to anyone searching The Registry® for Fitness Professionals.

Upon completion of the processing of your ICE package, BCRPA staff will update your profile on The Registry®.

At that point: Congratulations! You are now a BCRPA Registered Personal Trainer!

Once you have been given a “pass” for your Older Adult course in your account on The Registry® of Fitness Professionals, the option to purchase the exam will be available. (Please note that, prior to course completion, you will NOT be able to purchase the exam).

Once the exam is purchased, an automatic email notification will be sent to direct you to the online scheduling website. Please note that each exam is worth one attempt and the passing grade is 83.3% (25/30).

Choose a course provider (or more than one) from that list and contact them for more information about course length, dates, times, pre-requisites and fees. Then select the course, and course provider, that suit your situation best.

**The course provider will need your Fitness Leader ID, found on your MAIN PAGE when logged into your account on The Registry®, in order to register you for the course.

Complete the Older Adult course and all requirements:

BCRPA-approved courses have both classroom theory components and practical, hands-on components. Depending on the course and/or the instructor, there are quizzes, exams and projects that must be completed as well. Check with your course provider regarding the requirements for your chosen course.

You can consult with your course conductor regarding the completion of the ICE as all ICE packages must be marked by an Older Adult Fitness TFL.

When you are ready to submit your completed ICE package to the BCRPA, please submit legible copies of your evaluator-marked ICE package to the BCRPA, and keep the original package for your own records.

Note: ICE package processing may take between 4 to 6 weeks.

Insurance coverage:

Your BCRPA Fitness registration provides you with an insurance policy that covers you to work with classmates and members of the public while completing all required practical components, including your ICE evaluation.

For this insurance to be valid:

you must have valid CPR and First Aid coverage at all times; and

all practicum and ICE requirements, and

full registration in the specialty module must be completed before the expiry of your Fitness Theory registration.

Once you have completed the specialty module, practicum requirements and ICE evaluation and have submitted your completed ICE Package to the BCRPA, your specialty module registration will be added to your account on The Registry® of Fitness Professionals by the BCRPA.

As long as all other credentials are current (BCRPA Fitness registration, CPR and First Aid) you will be able to publish your profile so that it is visible to your employer as well as to anyone searching The Registry® for Fitness Professionals.

Upon completion of the processing of your ICE package, BCRPA staff will update your profile on The Registry®.

At that point: Congratulations! You are now a BCRPA Registered Older Adult Specialist!

Osteofit is an exercise intervention program developed in consultation with clinical specialists from BC Women's Hospital's Osteoporosis Program. Osteofit is designed to improve strength, balance and coordination as well as functional ability, independence, and quality of life, and is especially safe for those with osteoporosis and osteopenia. It is medically endorsed and based on published research. Osteofit addresses the need for an accessible community program providing the link between physiotherapy and group fitness classes for those who are at risk for falls and fractures. Participants do not need a referral and are encouraged to contact community centres directly.

Osteofit Instructors must be registered through British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). For more information on how to acquire and maintain Osteofit registration, please visit the Osteofit website at www.osteofit.org.

Please note: Fitness Leader must CURRENTLY be registered in Older Adult Fitness in order to pursue Osteofit.

The BCRPA continues to facilitate Fitness Leader development through two advanced designation offerings. These higher designations allow fitness leaders to take on larger roles in the fitness industry, contributing to the development of other fitness professionals.

SFLs are generally fitness professionals who have responsibility for overseeing a team of fitness leaders. They are often Fitness Programmers or Managers at fitness facilities and are in a position to hire fitness leaders for their facilities.

SFLs are able to:

perform ICE evaluations to verify the practical competence of new fitness leaders

TFLs are fitness professionals who have had relevant post-secondary education as well as direct experience in the fitness industry and want to apply that experience and their knowledge to the education of future fitness professionals.

TFLs are able to:

present workshops in their area(s) of expertise and grant BCRPA CECs

mentor future TFLs by allowing them to assist in conducting BCRPA approved courses

present courses in their area(s) of expertise and grant BCRPA specialty module completion status to candidates for BCRPA registration

TFL Application Forms

To see the requirements to become a registered TFL, please see the application form associated with the specific specialty area:

A Trainer of Trainers/Adult Education Course is a requirement for the TFL application. BCRPA has worked with Brenda Adams, M.Ed., to offer a workshop that fulfills this requirement. For more info on this workshop, please contact Brenda Adams at brenda@brenda-adams.com.

New TFL Resource

To assist BCRPA TFLs in their role as educators, we have created the Facilitator Training Manual. This manual is designed to give you the tools and resources that you need to develop and strengthen your facilitation skills.

For those who have post-secondary education related to health and fitness, a fitness certification with another governing body or practical experience working as a Fitness Leader, there may be an opportunity to by-pass some of the steps of the certification process. The BCRPA Fitness Program offers three different options depending on the applicant’s education and experience and which Fitness Leader designation they would like to obtain.

Those who have post-secondary education covering information equivalent to any of the BCRPA courses can apply to by-pass them and directly challenge the exam and/or practical evaluation (ICE).

The applicant will need to fill out and submit the Course Bypass Application Form along with transcripts (unofficial acceptable) and university-issued course syllabi for the courses they feel were equivalent to the BCRPA course they are trying to by-pass. This information will be reviewed by the BCRPA and if it is determined that the applicant’s education was equivalent, then the BCRPA will send an approval letter to the applicant outlining next steps.

Those who are currently certified with another NFLA organization, ICREPs or the YMCA can apply to transfer their credential to a BCRPA Fitness Leader designation.

The applicant will need to fill out and submit the Transfer Application Form along with all required documentation. There are two types of transfers available, each with their own criteria:

Transfer for leaders with current registration with an NFLA provincial/territorial agency including:

Alberta Fitness Leadership Certification Association (AFLCA)

Saskatchewan Parks & Recreation Association (SPRA)

Ontario Fitness Council (OFC)

Manitoba Fitness Council (MFC)

Nova Scotia Fitness Association (NSFA)

Fitness New Brunswick (FNB)

Please note that applicants who are approved to transfer will receive additional instructions if they are required to challenge the exam (Fitness Theory or Personal Training) and practical evaluation (ICE) for the particular module they want to transfer into.

Those who may not have an official designation with a fitness governing body but have practical experience working as a Fitness Leader can apply to grandparent. The grandparent policy applies to all of the BCRPA Fitness Leader designations except Personal Training.

The BCRPA Fitness Theory exam is a requirement for initial registration with the BCRPA and must be completed before you purchase your New Leader registration and register for your first specialty module. Depending on the designations you wish to attain, you may also need to complete other BCRPA exams:

Once you have purchased the exam, there is no expiration date to schedule the exam.

However, a refund can only be granted within 3 months of the purchase date. Exam fees are non-transferrable and cannot be used for another candidate.

Exam fees are only applicable to the account on which it was purchased.

Note: You have one (1) year from the date of passing the Fitness Theory Exam to purchase your first year of registration; registration is a mandatory pre-requisite prior to starting work on your first specialty.

The Fitness Theory exam is a requirement for initial registration with the BCRPA and must be completed before purchasing your New Leader registration. Please note that Fitness Theory exams from associations who are not affiliated with the NFLA are non-transferrable and will not be accepted for registration.

Exam Format:

Cost - $110 ($80 exam + $30 ProctorU service fee)

Exam Length - 60 questions, multiple choice

Time Given - 60 minutes

Passing Grade - 80% (48/60)

Preparing for the Fitness Theory Exam

Prior to writing the Fitness Theory exam, it is strongly recommended that you complete a Fitness Theory course. The course will provide you with the necessary knowledge and improve your chances of passing the exam.

Test takers are expected to follow regulations set out by ProctorU as described by the proctor at the beginning of the exam session, and as they are laid out in the notification sent by The Registry® upon purchase of the exam.If misconduct is deemed plausible, the exam score will be nulled.

Instructions on how to book an exam will ONLY be sent once the exam has been purchased through your account on The Registry® of Fitness Professionals (www.thefitnessregistry.com). Once the exam purchase is finalized and confirmed through The Registry®, you will receive an email from info (at) thefitnessregistry.com that will instruct you on how to book your exam sitting through our independent online proctoring company, ProctorU.

The BCRPA has partnered with ProctorU, an independent online proctoring service, to create a new convenient and flexible exam booking and writing system for you to complete your Fitness Theory or Older Adult exam. With the system open 24/7, these exams can be written at any time of the day or night.

The Older Adult exam is based on the NFLA's Older Adult Performance Standards. The exam is a REQUIREMENT for registration in the BCRPA Older Adult Fitness module. Please consult with your course conductor regarding other criteria.

Instructions on how to book an exam will ONLY be sent once the exam has been purchased through your account on The Registry® of Fitness Professionals (www.thefitnessregistry.com). Once the exam purchase is finalized and confirmed through The Registry®, you will receive an email from info (at) thefitnessregistry.com that will instruct you on how to book your exam sitting through our independent online proctoring company, ProctorU.

The BCRPA has partnered with ProctorU, an independent online proctoring service, to create a new convenient and flexible exam booking and writing system for you to complete your Fitness Theory or Older Adult exam. With the system open 24/7, these exams can be written at any time of the day or night.

Passing the BCRPA Advanced Fitness Theory exam may be a requirement for you if you are planning to become a BCRPA Supervisor or Trainer of Fitness Leaders and are not currently registered as a Personal Trainer. For more information on whether you need to write this exam, see the BCRPA SFL application found here.

Exam Format:

Cost - $60

Exam Length - 75 questions, multiple choice

Time Given - 90 minutes

Passing Grade - 70%

Preparing for the Advanced Fitness Theory Exam

In preparing for the Advanced Fitness Theory exam, you may find the following resources helpful:

Both the Personal Training and Advanced Fitness Theory exams are paper exams and must be either proctored by an external proctor or written at the BCRPA office. To write either of these exams please follow the instructions listed here: Proctored Exam Procedure

The BCRPA Fitness Registration system is a fully automated self-serve registration renewal system. All renewals must be processed online through The Registry® of Fitness Professionals (no exceptions). All registration renewal submissions to the BCRPA must be done online through the accounts of individual Fitness Leaders.

How Do I Input My CECs?

There are two forms on The Registry® under the "Courses and Workshops" drop down tab that allow you to update your credits:

BCRPA Pre-Approved CEC Form - Training that you have taken that was found off the BCRPA website & has the amount of BCRPA CECs listed on the attendance certificate.

External Training CEC Petition - All other training/workshops.

Both forms will require you to upload a copy of your attendance/completion certificate. This means that if you only have a hard-copy, you will have to scan the certificate or take a picture of it with a digital camera/cell-phone camera to upload an electronic version.

All credits input will be verified by a member of the Fitness Team, so your account will not be immediately updated; please allow 5-10 business days for your CECs to be processed.

The BCRPA reserves the right to refuse renewal documents (i. e. CEC certificates) that are submitted as hard-copies. Manual handling of such documents (i. e. BCRPA staff’s inputting of the renewal documents into a Fitness Leader’s account) will be subjected to an administration fee of $25 per submission.

Providing you support

The BCRPA is committed to providing guidance and assistance on the usage and navigation of The Registry®. Demystifying the Registry® is a workshop hosted by the BCRPA designed to provide hands-on guidance. Check the Workshop listings for the next available offering.

The Fitness Program Code of Ethics is designed to provide guidance - both individually and collectively - to all registered BCRPA Fitness Leaders, in order to maintain a high level of ethical conduct. The essential principles of the Code of Ethics are honesty and integrity. Fitness Leaders who reflect these characteristics will be a credit to the Association, the institutions they represent and themselves.

For individuals who are in the process of completing their practicum hours towards registration requirements, the BCRPA provides temporary practicum insurance for Group Fitness, Aquatic Fitness, Yoga Fitness, Pilates Fitness, and Weight Training modules.

This is a one year insurance policy that automatically starts when you complete your Fitness Theory registration.

Please Note: You then have one year to complete all practical components of your module, and to submit your ICE Package to BCRPA and become fully registered in this new specialty module.